Saints Give Up Season High 18 Hits In 9-8 Loss To Explorers

ST. PAUL, MNJuly 28, 2017

For the third time this season the St. Paul Saints gave up at least 17 hits to the Sioux City Explorers. The Saints gave up a season high 18 hits as Mark Hamburger had his second shortest outing and allowed the second most hits in his Saints career, 4.2 innings and 15 hits. The Saints lost 9-8 at Mercy Field at Lewis and Clark Park and are now 8-16 in the month of July, dropping to 35-29 overall.

Hamburger wasn’t hit hard at the beginning, but gave up five straight hits to start the bottom of the first. Tony Campana singled under the glove and off the back leg of Hamburger. Joe Bennie roped a double to right putting runners at second and third. Jayce Ray’s infield single to short scored Campana to make it 1-0 Explorers. A broken bat single to left by Tyler Ogle scored Bennie to make it 2-0. LeVon Washington’s bloop single to center loaded the bases and, with one out, a sacrifice fly by Joel Davis made it 3-0.

Hamburger gave up a run in the second, but it could have been worse. With runners at second and third Ray singled to right scoring Tanner Vavra, but Ben Buerkle’s throw home cut down Campana as the Explorers extended their lead to 4-1.

The Explorers tacked on three more in the third as Michael Lang singled with one out and Davis singled him to third. A sac fly by Dre Gleason gave the Explorers a 5-2 lead. Back-to-back RBI singles by Vavra and Campana made it 7-2.

Hamburger put up his lone zero in the fourth, but in the fifth Davis singled, moved to second on a passed ball and, with two outs, Campana walked. Bennie ended Hamburger’s night with an RBI single to left. Hamburger went 4.2 innings allowing eight runs (seven earned) on 15 hits while walking two and striking out three. The only appearance shorter for Hamburger in his Saints career was his second ever start on May 21, 2013 when he went 3.1 innings at Sioux Falls. The only time he allowed more hits was July 20, 2016 at Winnipeg when he allowed 16 hits.

The Saints offense did its part pounding out 14 hits with nine of the 10 players collecting a hit, seven of 10 scoring a run and six of 10 driving in a run.

With the Saints down 7-2 in the fourth Maxx Garrett reached second on a double error by the third baseman Davis. Jon Kristoffersen followed with a two-run homer to right-center, his second of the season, to make it 7-4.

With the Saints trailing 8-4 in the sixth Mitch Delfino singled and Garrett doubled him to third. With one out Tim Colwell’s sacrifice fly made it 8-5. Buerkle hit a grounder to the first baseman Gleason, but his throw to first, with the pitcher racing over, went wide allowing Garrett to score, making it 8-6.

With the Saints down 9-6 in the eighth Breland Almadova, who entered the game in bottom of the fourth when Brady Shoemaker left after diving for a ground ball, hit a solo homer to left, his third of the season, to make it 9-7.

In the ninth Nate Hanson reached on a pop up infield single. With one out Delfino singled him to third. A sacrifice fly by Garrett got the Saints to within a run, but Kristoffersen lined out to right to end the game.

The same two teams meet in the finale of the four game series on Saturday night at 7:05 p.m. at Mercy Field at Lewis and Clark Park. The Saints send RHP Ryan Zimmerman (4-4, 5.22) to the field against Explorers LHP Hobbs Johnson (3-3, 3.68). The game can be heard on Club 1220 KLBB.